This invention relates to firearms. More particularly, this invention relates to single-action revolvers.
A revolver is a type of firearm that carries cartridges in the chambers of a rotating cylinder. A single-action revolver is fired by the shooter manually cocking the hammer and then pulling the trigger. The cocking of the hammer causes the cylinder to rotate one-sixth of a turn so that a new chamber is aligned with the hammer and barrel. The most famous single-action revolver of all time is the Colt single-action revolver. This handgun was first patented by Samuel Colt in 1835 and was produced in great numbers by the Colt Manufacturing Company during the mid and late 1800""s.
The Colt single-action revolver handgun is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Omitting various fasteners and minor parts for brevity, the major parts shown are the barrel 1, ejector tube 2, ejector tube spring 4, ejector rod 5, ejector rod head 6, base pin 7, base pin screw 8, base pin spring 9, base pin nut 10, base pin bushing 11, frame 12, recoil plate 13, cylinder 14 (with longitudinal base pin bore, six longitudinal cartridge chambers, and ratchet), gate 15, hammer 16, firing pin 17, hand 21 (with hand spring), bolt 25, trigger 27, sear and bolt spring 28, trigger guard 31, mainspring 37, backstrap 38, and stock 42.
The Colt single-action revolver is loaded by inserting cartridges through the gate into the cylinder. The shooter then pulls the hammer back with the thumb of his shooting hand, or with some part of his other hand, until the hammer locks in place. The movement of the hammer causes the hand to engage the ratchet of the cylinder and rotate the cylinder. When the trigger is pulled, the hammer is released, the firing pin contacts the cartridge, and the bullet is fired out the barrel. Spent casings are ejected manually by pulling the ejector rod through the chamber containing the spent casing.
The Colt single-action revolver was the first reliable rapid firing handgun and earned the reputation as xe2x80x9cthe gun that tamed the Wild West.xe2x80x9d Single-action revolvers continue to be used today and are especially popular among hunters and competitors in shooting contests. The major disadvantage of the Colt single-action revolver is that it requires considerable skill and manual dexterity to fire rapidly.
Double-action revolvers were first introduced in the late 1800""s. Double-action revolvers do not require the shooter to manually cock the hammer before firing. Instead, pulling the trigger causes the hammer to fall and then cock. Double-action revolvers are easier to fire rapidly, but many shooters do not like double-action revolvers as well as single-action revolvers for a number of reasons. First, the motion of the hammer cocking in a double-action revolver moves the revolver and interferes with precision shooting. Second, double-action action revolvers are more expensive than single-action revolvers. And third, double-action revolvers are, in general, not as strong or reliable as single-action revolvers. Accordingly, it would be very desirable to provide a single-action revolver that is easier to fire rapidly.
The general object of this invention is to provide an improved revolver. A more particular object is to provide a single-action revolver that is easier to fire rapidly. Another object is to provide a simple and economical method for converting a single-action revolver to more easily fire rapidly.
I have invented an improved single-action revolver that is easy to fire rapidly. The revolver comprises: (a) a frame that contains a longitudinal bore; (b) a barrel attached to the frame for directing a flight of a bullet; (c) a cylinder that rotates about a longitudinal bore that is coaxial with the longitudinal bore of the frame, that contains a plurality of longitudinal cartridge chambers, and that is secured in the frame; (d) a cocking hammer aligned behind the longitudinal bores of the frame and the cylinder for striking and firing cartridges; (e) a trigger for releasing a cocked hammer; (f) a stock attached to the frame for aiming the revolver; (g) a means for rotating the cylinder as the hammer is cocked to align successive chambers with the barrel and hammer; and (h) a hammer-cocking assembly comprising a reciprocating cylinder-actuating actuating rod with a proximate end that passes rearwardly through the respective longitudinal bores of the frame and cylinder to contact the hammer and with a distal end that extends forwardly along the barrel. A shooter can easily fire the revolver rapidly by first moving the cylinder-actuating rod with one hand to cock the hammer and rotate the cylinder, and by then pulling the trigger with another hand to release the hammer and fire the revolver.
The improved single-action revolver retains all the advantages of the original single-action revolver, namely, accuracy and simplicity, while adding the ability to easily fire rapidly. Converting an original single-action revolver to the rapid-firing revolver of this invention is a simple and economical process.